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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. W. GASON.

METHOD OF STRETGHINGPBNCE WIRE AND OTHER STRANDS.

No. 338,035. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

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(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 2.

G. W. 'OASON.

METHOD OF STRETGHING FENCE WIRE AND OTHER STRANDS. No. 338,035. Patented Mar. 16,1886.

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George WCason.

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.IJNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE V. GASON, OF GLASGOWV, MISSOURI.

METHOD OF STRETCHING FENCE-WIRE AND OTHER STRANDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,035, dated March 16, 1886.

Application filed September 28, 1885. Serial No. 178,443. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WILLIAM CASON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glasgow, in the county of Howard and State of Missouri,have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of Stretching Fence Wire and other Strands, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a simple and effective method of stretching fence-wires and other strands.

The object of my invention is to impart the proper degree of tension to the wires or cords employed in check-row corn-planting, 850., or to the wire or wire rope, whether barbed or otherwise, that is commonly used in fencebuilding, and to accomplish this purpose in a simple, expeditious, and inexpensive manner without the employment of special tools, machines, or appliances, after the material has been paid out or unreeled from any ordinary vehicle or wheeled agricultural machine.

Heretofore various appliances, more or less complicated and expensive, have been employed for taking up the slack of check-row wire or barbed fence-wire and imparting thereto the required tension.

By my invention I dispense with all special tension devices and employ one of the whcelhubs of the reel conveyance as a means for stretching the wire as it is set out and secured in position.

My invention therefore consists in that improvement in the art of setting out and stretch ing cords, wires, bands, or other strips for check-row planting or for fencing which embraces the stretching of such material by looping a slack portion thereof on the hub of a wheel attached to or forming part of the vehicle that supports and carries the reel, and then rotating said wheel until the required tension is obtained.

The manner of carrying my invention into effect isillustrated in the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of a wheeled conveyance with reel mounted thereon, showing the wire extended from said reel to the check-row stakes or to the posts of a fence, one wheel of the vehicle being elevated and having the slack portion of the wire doubled or looped around the outer end of its hub in position to be stretched by rotating the wheel. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the wheel-hub with wire attached. Fig. 3 shows diagrams illustrating the manner of forming the loop thatis slipped over the wheel-hub.

In practicing my invention I mount a reel, A, of any ordinary construction, in a wagon, B, or other suitable conveyance. On this reel are wound the cords, ropes, or wires, or the flat bands or strips of metal or other material that are to be set out, stretched, and secured in position, as hereinafter explained. WVhen cord, rope, or wire is employed,it may be made in single, double, or multiple strand, as preferred, and for fence-making the wire or other material may or may not be provided with barbs, as deemed preferable. The wire, cord, or other material, 0, is secured to the stakes or posts D by suitable means, and is paid out or unwound from the reel A gradually as the Vehicle B is drawn forward by draft-animals or otherwise along the line of stakes or posts.

For the purpose ofstretching the wire, cord, or other material as itis extended from post to post, I stop the vehicle B and elevate one end of the axle upon a support, E, so as to raise one of the wheels F from the ground. I then draw a portion of the unattached slack wire or cord between two of the wheel-spokes from the back or inner side of the wheel, thus doubling the wire or cord where it passes between said spokes. One portion of the doubled wire or cord extends to the reel and the other portion to the last supporting stake or post. The

doubled portion of the wire or cord in the form of a loop, a, open at one end, is now given a half-turn to cause the wire or cord to cross at b,and thus close the loop at both ends. and this closed loop is slipped over the outer end of the hub G of the elevated wheel F, which is then rotated forward, thereby causing the hub G and attached spokes to draw on and stretch that portion of the wire or cord which extends to the last supporting post or stake. The unreeled portion of the cord,wire, strip, or band that extends from the wheelhub to the last supporting stake, post, or other point of attachment is thus gradually brought to any desired degree of tension,whether such material is provided with barbs or not. This result is effected by the winding of the wire or other material on the inner end of the hub, as the elevated wheel is rotated forward.

It is obvious that owing to the great leverage exerted by rotating the elevated wheel the cord or wire can be readily stretched to any required degree, and this is accomplished without affecting the wire or cord upon the reel. As each portion of the wire or cord is brought to the required tension, it will be firmly secured to the several stakes or posts D in succession. By then slightly rotating the wheel F backward the doubled or looped portion of the wire or cord can be readily detached or slipped off of the hub G and allowed to fall back'of the wheel and become straightened out as the vehicle is again carrier forward to repeat the operation. It will thus be seen that whenever it is desired to stretch the "cord, wire, strip, or band, whatever its form,

it is only necessary to stop the vehicle that supports and carries the reel, then elevate one end of an axle to raise the wheel at that end from the ground, and then, after passing a loop between the spokes and over the outer end of the hub, the wheel may be rotated forward, so as to exert the required degree of tension upon the material to be stretched by winding it on the inner end of the hub,or that portion at the inner side of the wheel. By this simple method large quantities of wire, cord, or other material can be rapidly set out and stretched without requiring the employment of any special tension appliances.

It is obvious that the cord or wire can be secured to its supporting stakes or posts by any suitable means and at any appropriate distance from the ground.

I am aware that heretofore a wire has been stretched by wrapping it around the hub of a wagon-wheel, using the latter as a capstan. A spool of wire has also been supported on the top of a wagon, one end of the wire being fastened to a post, and the wagon then driven forward the required distance and stopped.

The wire is then twisted or tied to one of the spokes of the hind wheel nearest the fence, and the wheel is elevated to clear the ground. After this the team is unhitched, the wagontongue is fastened to a post or stake, and then by turning the wheel the wire is wound around I the hub until the desired tension is attained.

The above-referred-to methods of operation I do not claim, and my invention differs therefrom, in that I draw a portion of the slack wire or cord between two of thewheel-spokes without attaching the wire to said spokes. The

' wire thus doubled is given a half-turn to form a closed loop, and this loop is then slipped over the outer end of the wheel-hub. Now, when the elevated wheel is turned or rotated forward the wire will be wound on the hub at the inner side of the wheel, and the portion extending to the last supporting-post will be gradually brought to the required tension. It will be observed that I do not wrap the wire around the outer end of the hub, neither is it wound thereon by the rotation of the wheel. I simply employ the outer end of the hub as a point of attachment for the wire loop that is formed bypassing the wire *between'the spokes, while, the latter exert the necessary leverage in stretching the wire and winding it on the inner end of the hub. It will be observed that I do not twist, tie, or otherwise secure the wire to the spokes, and by my invention there is no need of unhitehing the team or securing the wagon-tongue while the wire is-being stretched. My method of attaching the wire to the wheel by passing it between the spokes and then looping it on the hub also prevents any possibility of itsbecoming accidentally displaced, and affords a more certain and efiective leverage. I am therefore enabled to set out and stretch wires for fencing, &c., with greater rapidity and accuracy than haveheretoforebeen attained without'theernploymen-t of expensive and complicated mechanism.

What I claim as my: invention is- The herein-described method of setting out and stretching fence-wire, check-row wires, 850., which consists in first unreeling the wire from a reelcarried by a moving vehicle; second, securing saidv wire at intervals to stakes or posts; th-i rd unreeling a portion of said wire to form a loop; fourth, crossing. said looped portion of the wire; and then passing it between the spokes, and: around the hub of an elevated wheel of the vehicle, and, fitth, rotating said wheel to stretch the wire by winding it around the inner portion of the hub thereof, substantially as. described.

Intestimony whereof I aflixmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

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Witnesses:

J AMES- M. NORRIS, GEORGE GETHARDT.

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